King Crimson : In The Court of The Crimson King

An Observation By King Crimson

This collectable album with the pink (i) Island Record label plays with stunning audio for the vast majority as detailed below.

ILPS-9111 // A - 2 / B - 4 // 1 2  1 3 & 1 1  1 3

The audio on S1 is Near Mint

S2 is Ex+ (two sections on 'Moonchild' are VG+ / many other sections on this side are Near Mint) 

The gatefold is Ex-

The labels are Mint-

The inner sleeve is Ex

Visual grading

This vinyl is in lovely condition for its age.  S1 has only one obvious small hairline and a few other very faint sleeve removal hairlines but they have no affect on the superb audio.  S2 does have one small scratch on track one causing some light clicks and a few faint hairlines again but overall this vinyl has been very carefully handled down the decades and is cleaner than so many I have seen.

Play grading

With hardly any lead in static the quiet intro on '21st Century Schizoid Man..' then plays with superb audio and no 'background' whatsoever.  What an amazing start!  The track then continues with the same incredible quality and this easily qualifies as Mint- without a shadow of a doubt.  'I Talk To The Wind' again is so impressive in its clarity.  The only interference, if you can call it that, are some mega light dust ticks but they are so much in the background as to be totally negligible.  This really is audio of a superlative standard and to all intents and purposes I honestly believe most would grade this side as Mint, the clarity and depth of the sound is just stunning.  There are so many quiet sections on this track and they all play with the same breathtaking standard.  Even the fade out has no 'background'!  'Epitaph' ends S1 with immaculate audio once more and it plays practically as new.  There is no distortion on the top end, except a little on the end section perhaps, and the clarity again if of the highest quality. There are some clicks on the fade out but that is literally the only interference and I cannot stress enough just how good the warmth and depth of the audio is on this side, I have never heard better and certainly not on a pink label pressing.

'Moonchild..' does have some light 'ticks' for the first 20 seconds or so but is not what I would call intrusive.  It then plays with wonderfully clear audio but there are some persistent light clicks for about one minute at the beginning of the instrumental section caused by a very faint scratch which is a shame as the audio still plays very clearly.  Thereafter this long section plays with excellent sound, great clarity and very little 'background'.  However, there are 5 quite loud pops for which I cannot find the cause so is perhaps a pressing fault - I have cleaned the record on my Pro-Ject VC-S machine but does not make a difference.  The majority of this 'instrumental' piece plays with incredibly clear audio and only the lightest of static in the background.  'The Court Of The Crimson King..' is absolutely stunning and is probably the 'cleanest' version I have ever heard on such an early pressing.  From the very start it plays with such depth and power and with no interference whatsoever.  The louder sections have no distortion on the top end and the first instrumental section plays with near perfection, just a touch of mega light static.  The second instrumental piece as everyone knows is so quiet and yet here there is barely any 'background' the sound is incredible!  Wow!!  This quality continues and the crescendo provides a stunning end to this classic album.

The Gatefold

The E.J. Day gatefold is in overall excellent condition.  The top edges have some rubbing and there is a little more on the bottom edges but no splits.  The wide spine is in excellent order with only a handful of tiny rub marks and some corner wear.  The opening edge has very little handling wear.  The front cover itself is very clean with no marking and the inside is also in great condition.  The back cover has one small scratch near the foot but is otherwise in excellent shape.

The labels & Inner Sleeve

The pink (i) Island Record labels are in beautiful condition.  There is some spindle wear but they both have no marking or writing.  The die-cut plain white inner has no splits just some creasing.

Play tested on my Pro-Ject Essential III Turntable / B&W 684 Speakers

This record has been professionally cleaned on a Pro-Ject VC-S machine

ILPS-9111 // A - 2 / B - 4 // 1 2  1 3 & 1 1  1 3

I grade according to "Record Collector" guidelines.

Any questions please feel free to ask

Please pay within 4 days of auction end

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Postage & Packaging

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